2009 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron Pauillac Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

104253 Views

2009
98
Showing a bit of lightning to the color, the wine combines power, concentration, supple textures, density, complexity, and opulence. Not a typical vintage for Pichon Baron. But who cares? Typical is overrated. Sensual and showy on the palate, the wine is long, creamy, rich, and shows a real staying power on your palate and in the lingering finish. This is one of the top vintages produced by the departing Jean Rene Matignon. Drink from 2022-2055.

Showing a bit of lightning to the color, the wine combines power, concentration, supple textures, density, complexity, and opulence. Not a typical vintage for Pichon Baron. But who cares? Typical is overrated. Sensual and showy on the palate, the wine is long, creamy, rich, and shows a real staying power on your palate and in the lingering finish. This is one of the top vintages produced by the departing Jean Rene Matignon. Drink from 2022-2055.

6,591 Views   Tasted
Smoke, tobacco, cigar box, crème de cassis, black cherry, forest leaf and truffle pop from the glass. Still dark in color, the wine offers volume, depth, precision and strong, ripe, tannins. The blackberry, dark cocoa and plums are sweet, fresh and juicy. The rich finish offers fruit, spice and lift. Still young, the tannins and fruit are so ripe, it is easy to drink today. But hold off if you can, as the wine is only going to better with another 5-10 years of aging, and will offer pleasure for another 20-30 years after that.

Smoke, tobacco, cigar box, crème de cassis, black cherry, forest leaf and truffle pop from the glass. Still dark in color, the wine offers volume, depth, precision and strong, ripe, tannins. The blackberry, dark cocoa and plums are sweet, fresh and juicy. The rich finish offers fruit, spice and lift. Still young, the tannins and fruit are so ripe, it is easy to drink today. But hold off if you can, as the wine is only going to better with another 5-10 years of aging, and will offer pleasure for another 20-30 years after that.

7,885 Views   Tasted
The wine is clearly going to sleep now. It is impossible not to enjoy the weight, density, flesh, and opulence, but the nuances are now resting and will sleep for 6-10 years as a guess.

The wine is clearly going to sleep now. It is impossible not to enjoy the weight, density, flesh, and opulence, but the nuances are now resting and will sleep for 6-10 years as a guess.

7,626 Views   Tasted
Young as you'd expect, but it's impossible not to love the layers of sweet, ripe, lush fruits, silky, opulent tannins and long, mouth filling finish.

Young as you'd expect, but it's impossible not to love the layers of sweet, ripe, lush fruits, silky, opulent tannins and long, mouth filling finish.

10,398 Views   Tasted
Truffle, licorice, spice, incense and cedar chest aromas with only a bit of fruit poling through today. On the palate, the wine is lush, powerful, sweet and fresh, but clearly, this is starting to close down for several years. It’s obvious from the complexities in the nose, silky mouth feel and volume, this is a stunning wine. But it’s not much fun to drink now. Give this a decade or more and enjoy the fire-works.

Truffle, licorice, spice, incense and cedar chest aromas with only a bit of fruit poling through today. On the palate, the wine is lush, powerful, sweet and fresh, but clearly, this is starting to close down for several years. It’s obvious from the complexities in the nose, silky mouth feel and volume, this is a stunning wine. But it’s not much fun to drink now. Give this a decade or more and enjoy the fire-works.

12,507 Views   Tasted
This sexy Pauillac is filled to the brim with ripe, sweet, opulently textured layers of fruit, earth, spice, licorice and espresso beans. Forward in style, with the right blend of freshness coupled with intensity and lush tannins, if you lack patience, this is right wine for you. If you have the willpower to wait for it to develop, this is also the right wine to buy. I'm happy I own it.

This sexy Pauillac is filled to the brim with ripe, sweet, opulently textured layers of fruit, earth, spice, licorice and espresso beans. Forward in style, with the right blend of freshness coupled with intensity and lush tannins, if you lack patience, this is right wine for you. If you have the willpower to wait for it to develop, this is also the right wine to buy. I'm happy I own it.

11,213 Views   Tasted
Inky in color, with a blast of smoke, earth, tobacco, cassis, espresso bean, blackberry jam and smoke in the perfume. Powerful, concentrated and deep, with layers of perfectly ripe, silky blackberry, mocha and spicy plums, the wine remains on your palate for close to 50 seconds! There is not a single hair out of place.

Inky in color, with a blast of smoke, earth, tobacco, cassis, espresso bean, blackberry jam and smoke in the perfume. Powerful, concentrated and deep, with layers of perfectly ripe, silky blackberry, mocha and spicy plums, the wine remains on your palate for close to 50 seconds! There is not a single hair out of place.

13,346 Views   Tasted
The packed aromatics are filled with cedar wood, incense, cassis, earth, espresso bean and cigar tobacco. From an assemblage of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, this supple, rich, round Bordeaux ends with fresh cassis, blackberries and black cherries. Very stylish.

The packed aromatics are filled with cedar wood, incense, cassis, earth, espresso bean and cigar tobacco. From an assemblage of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, this supple, rich, round Bordeaux ends with fresh cassis, blackberries and black cherries. Very stylish.

12,659 Views   Tasted
Leading with smoke, tobacco, blackberry liqueur and gravelly scents, this full bodied, soft textured, black cherry and cassis filled wine ends with ripe sensation of fresh, blackberries and espresso bean. While this lacks the power and ripeness of the 2010, it has improved since it was first tasted in April 2010.

Leading with smoke, tobacco, blackberry liqueur and gravelly scents, this full bodied, soft textured, black cherry and cassis filled wine ends with ripe sensation of fresh, blackberries and espresso bean. While this lacks the power and ripeness of the 2010, it has improved since it was first tasted in April 2010.

11,900 Views   Tasted
2009 Pichon Baron is deep ruby, with notes of black raspberry, flowers, spice, mocha, and coffee in the nose. The round textured wine has a fresh finish of elegant dark plums and spicy chocolate. I like the style of the wine, even if it did not afford the power and concentration found in previous great vintages. 93-95 Pts

2009 Pichon Baron is deep ruby, with notes of black raspberry, flowers, spice, mocha, and coffee in the nose. The round textured wine has a fresh finish of elegant dark plums and spicy chocolate. I like the style of the wine, even if it did not afford the power and concentration found in previous great vintages. 93-95 Pts

10,128 Views   Tasted

When to Drink Chateau Pichon Baron, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Pichon Baron is not a wine to drink on the young side. The wine is usually far too tannic, powerful, and backward during its youth. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 3-6 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Chateau Pichon Baron is usually better with at least 15 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Pichon Baron offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 15 and 50 years of age after the vintage.

Serving Chateau Pichon Baron with Wine and Food Pairings

Chateau Pichon Baron is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau Pichon Baron is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Pichon Baron is also good when matched with Asian dishes, and rich fish courses like tuna, salmon, mushrooms and pasta.

The estate made two changes starting with the 2012 vintage. Consumers are now able to go to the website for the chateau and use the visual recognition system that is now placed on the bottles on both on the capsule and back label.

Each capsule and back label has a unique code they can enter into the website to show if their bottle is authentic and the consumer can also know where the wine was initially sold, as a way to guarantee its authenticity. It's a step in the right direction that helps fight wine fraud and counterfeiting.

Additionally, the same technical team that is responsible for Chateau Pichon Baron produces Cap Royal. A quick glance at the label will remind you of the relationship. Cap Royal is available as a Merlot-dominated wine from Bordeaux Superieur.

Cap Royal is also available as a white Bordeaux wine made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Cap Royal is a true value Bordeaux wine. Interestingly, Cap Royal is a certified vegan wine.

www.pichonbaron.com